Natural Ways to Repel Slugs and Snails (folklore?)

Natural Ways to Repel Slugs and Snails (folklore?)

Barriers-

Wood ash

Hydrated lime

Marble dust

Crushed oyster shells

Crushed egg shells

Diatomaceous earth

Sawdust

Salt (not to mush on the soil)

Sand

Petroleum Jelly (around edge of pots)

Copper strips

Mulch-

Oak leave mulch

Coffee grounds

Creative Diversity-

Create diversity in the garden to attract natural predators-

Don't plant large mono-crops ...variety is best to keep out the pest.

Drench-

Drench soil with worm wood tea.

Traps-

Fermenting sugar water (put in a saucer then put in garden area)

Yeast & Honey Mixture (boil together) put in saucer.

Saucer of beer

Spoiled yogurt (saucer)

Dog or Cat food under a pie dish (make a hole for snails to enter) collect snails daily.

Upside down grape fruit with hole in top (toss in garbage after snails gather underneath)

Upside down flower pots (collect snails daily)

Natural predators-

Predatory slugs and snails (decollate snails)

Fireflies

Ants

Certain Beatles

Chickens

Ducks

Geese

Toads

Frogs

Skunks

Rats

Birds

Plants that resist snails and slugs-

Basil, beans, corn, rosemary, sage and sunflower.

Folklore-

Horse, human, cat or dog hair applied to soil.

Bio-dynamic Preparations-

Snails left in a bucket with water to rot then use water on garden

Burned snail ashes spread in the garden.

Etherics Seaweed

Grow strong plants in strong soil- it is thought that pests attack the weaker and dying plants.

Hand picking-

Get the kids and go snail hunting (hunting is best at night)

Eww-

Blend snails in a blender then spray on garden (I think its 20 parts water to one part snail) strain and spray.

Control-

Vinegar and water (spray)

Get rid of moist hiding places.

Shingles in the garden (the snails and slugs find a home under the shingle Collect and discard the accumulated snail population.)

Essential Oils-

Cedar wood, Pine, Patchouli (add a few drops to 8 ounces of water then spray)

Repelling Herbs-

Fennel, Garlic, Rosemary, Aloe Vera.

Spiritual-

contact the snail spirit and ask it to leave the area or make a dog food offering where the snails will have sanctuary thus not needing to harm your plants :]

Soil Microbes-

Brew protozoa tea and spray

Microbial tea

Gangster snails-

Just give them a piece of the pie:]

Reference:

Garden Insects of North America

The gardeners bug book

Tiny Game hunting

Secrets of the soil

Encyclopedia of organic gardening

Old Wives' Lore for Gardeners

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